March 26, 2009

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Indianapolis law firm Bose McKinney & Evans has slashed 11 support jobs, reducing its administrative and operational staff by almost 8 percent.

Law firm leadership made the decision internally on Friday, according to partner R.J. McConnell. He declined to elaborate on specifics of the jobs being cut, but he pointed out that every administrative area "shared in the pain." No attorneys are being eliminated, he said.

"We deeply regret having to make this type of decision in this economic climate, but those conditions are forcing us to do this," McConnell said. "This is just one of those difficult decisions in life."

This news comes on the heels of the December cuts at law firm Baker & Daniels, which eliminated 22 support positions - 12 in Indianapolis and 10 in Fort Wayne. An internal operational review showed how the firm could improve its efficiency and operations by using technology and fewer employees, and managing partner Tom Froehle denied the job cuts were related to the economic turmoil.

Law firms nationally are cutting both attorneys and support staff, though Indiana firms publicly deny any lawyer layoffs are happening here.

"I've never been in a situation like we're in today, when so many businesses and clients of ours are struggling to deal with this downturn," McConnell said. "We don't know what tomorrow brings, but hopefully the economy will rebound soon."

Michael Hoskins joined Indiana Lawyer in May 2006 and mostly covers the state and federal court systems. He’s received awards from the Indiana Chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists for his work covering the state's juvenile justice system, the federal immigration court system, wrongful conviction issues, and long-running lawsuits regarding prison conditions.

He came from the Daily Journal in Johnson County, where he was a general assignment reporter covering courts and legal issues. Before moving to Indiana in 2004 from southeast Michigan, Hoskins freelanced for the Detroit Free Press and worked for the Spinal Column Newsweekly after graduating with a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Oakland University in 2001. He currently lives in Greenwood with his wife, Susanne, and volunteers with the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.